To Grandmother’s House We Go?
(Matthew 1:1-16)
1. What scandals does your family have in their closets? A few years ago, I wrote up the Vasicek family history for our family members only. On the front page, I wrote, "Not suggested for those under 18." Most of you, if you traced back a few generation, would probably attach the same warning.
2. Although some people pride themselves on their pedigree (as though they were dogs), few families are without scandals and embarrassments – somewhere, in some generation.
3. Jesus came from a special family, a royal line. Luke’s Gospel provides us with the genealogy of Mary – a descended from David through a non-ruling line. But Matthew presents the line of his step-father, Joseph; this line could have been the ruling line if the Davidic line was on the throne in Jesus’ day.
4. Instead, a descendent of Esau, not Jacob, was on the throne: Herod the Great.
5. But both genealogies contain the same skeletons in the closet, even though Luke’s Gospel does not list the women involved, as does Matthew’s.
Main Idea: The genealogy of Jesus Christ demonstrates how gracious God is and His love for sinners, because God included some unlikely grandmothers in the mix.
TS--- There are only four women mentioned in this genealogy, and all of them are associated with scandal. The implications of this genealogy are fascinating.
I. A Few of Jesus’ Grandmothers Were SCANDALOUS
A. Tamar, the Woman Who SEDUCED Her Father-in-Law (Matthew 1:3, Genesis 38:1-30)
1. Studying the Old Testament broadens our minds as we learn to think through the eyes of a different culture.
2. In the ancient middle east, women were ingrained with the idea of having as many children as possible, but sons in particular; this meant honor, prestige, security, and was a sign of God’s blessing. There was no plan B.
3. If a woman was married to a man and had no children, and that man died, the custom was that the father of that man would give another son to that woman; this was even the case before the Law.
4. Jacob had 12 sons, and one of them was Judah. Judah’s son, Er, married a woman named Tamar.
5. I am shortening the version, but Er died, his brother who then married Tamar died, and Judah neglected getting another husband for Tamar from among his sons, because Tamar had no child yet. It was Judah’s responsibility, but he failed.
6. One day, when Judah was on a trip, Tamar disguised herself and dressed up as a prostitute; she seduced Judah and became pregnant and delivered twins.
7. Judah had given a security deposit to pay her, but when he returned, she had left.
8. In Genesis 38:25-26 we read (turn to the text)
B. Rahab, the Prostitute Who CHOSE God (Matthew 1:5, Joshua 2:1-22)
Rahab was a prostitute who lived in the city of Jericho. She had heard about Yahweh, the God of Israel, and had come to acknowledge Him. When the Jewish spies came to scope out Jericho before Joshua would attack, Rahab hid them.
As a result, she was delivered from the attack and became part of the nation of Israel. Although some have suggested that the Rahab in this genalogy is not the same one, please note that the other three women listed in this genealogy are listed because they are notable. Rahab is the only Rahab who is notable.
Some interpreters try to "sanitize" the Scriptures and reduce the scandal and gore. But that is not honest, to my way of thinking. What is, is. Except when I teach AWANA Cubbies.
C. Ruth: A Jewish Convert Who Boldly Goes After HER Man (Matthew 1:5, Ruth 1-4)
1. Ruth was a Moabitess who had married a Jew. He died, so Ruth, who is childless, is attached to her widow mother-in-law, Naomi. When Naomi returns to Israel -- Bethlehem, where she is from, Ruth embraces the God of Israel and accompanies Naomi.
2. Naomi schemes for Ruth to trap a relative, Boaz, into marriage. So she cuddles up to him in the field while he is sleeping. Let’s read Ruth 3:5-14
3. The plan works out, and Ruth and Boaz marry and become the great grand-parents of King David.
4. Although Ruth did nothing immoral, her behavior could have led that way and was risque’ at least.
D. Bathsheba, the Woman Who Had An AFFAIR With David (Matthew 1:6, 2 Samuel 11:1-27)
1. Bathsheba was the mother of both Solomon and Nathan, David’s sons. Joseph descended from Solomon, Mary from Nathan.
2. Bathsheba was married to Uriah the Hittite, who was off to war.
3. David saw her bathing, called for her, and committed adultery with her.
4. Bathsheba became pregnant, so David arrange for her husband to be killed in battle.
5. Although Bathsheba may not have felt she could say no to the king, the mere mention of her name recalls the scandal.
The genealogy of Jesus Christ demonstrates how gracious God is and His love for sinners, because God included some unlikely grandmothers in the mix.
II. We Are Not RESPONSIBLE for the Sins of Our Forefathers
A. You are not tainted by the BEHAVIOR of your forefathers (Deuteronomy 24:16)
1. This is not to say that the behavior of your parents does not affect you, for environment is a significant factor in who we are. What I am saying is that we are not guilty because of what our parents have done -- or done to us.
2. Unfortunately, many people carry the burden of false guilt. Children who have been abused or even children of divorce often blame themselves.
3. "Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin."
4. To escape the patterns of your parents, you have to be willing to be different and to live in unfamiliar ways with unfamiliar people…if you gravitate toward the familiar, you will replicate their lives…
B. PRESTIGE, image, and social standing are not RELEVANT (Jeremiah 9:23-24a)
1. Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me.”
2. Snobs often are either unaware of their forefathers "feet of clay" or are snobby to compensate for the shame they feel…
3. Humility is such a virtue; when you realize that you and everyone else are messed up, and levels the field; we are messed up in varying degrees and varying ways, but the fact that "all of sinned" categorizes us all as sinners.
4.
The genealogy of Jesus Christ demonstrates how gracious God is and His love for sinners, because God included some unlikely grandmothers in the mix.
III. Jesus Did Not INSULATE Himself from Sinners
A. He was CRITICIZED for this (Matthew 11:19)
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ’Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
B. His Ministry Involved SAVING Sinners (Mark 2:17)
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
C. Jesus came to save people from their sins, not the SINLESS (Matthew 1:21)
The angel announced to Joseph in a dream, “"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
D. A HOLY God became a HOLY Man in a SINFUL World (Isaiah 6, John 1:1, 14, Hebrews 4:15)
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15
The genealogy of Jesus Christ demonstrates how gracious God is and His love for sinners, because God included some unlikely grandmothers in the mix.
